Anselm's Ontological Argument Quiz

False (B)

Anselm was a British Catholic monk who formulated the ontological argument in his book 'Proslogion', aiming to prove God's existence through reason.

<p>God</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A Priori = Based on logic and reasoning Psalm 14 = The fool has said in his heart there is no God Imaginary vs. Real = Real things are better than imaginary things Modus Ponens = A form of logical argumentation</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It states that real existence is greater than imaginary existence. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It defines God as the greatest being imaginable, implying that His existence is necessary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Necessary existence (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Existence that does not depend on anything else.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>existence in reality</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Anselm's argument leads to absurd conclusions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Something else</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Necessary existence = Existence that does not depend on anything else Contingent existence = Existence dependent on external factors Reductio ad absurdum = An argument showing absurd consequences of a position The greatest conceivable being = God according to Anselm's definition</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>We cannot prove God's existence from our conception of him. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>That we exist and that God exists.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>infinite, transcendent</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gaunilo = We cannot prove God's existence based on our incomplete understanding. Anselm = A partial idea is sufficient to argue for God's existence. Descartes = Existence is a perfection that God possesses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Perfection (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>He states that just as facts about a triangle can be derived from its definition, God's existence can be derived from his definition as the supremely perfect being.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>God's existence should be assumed for morality to function. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It does not provide new information about the subject.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ethics</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Kant = Proves God exists through morality Anselm = Ontological argument assumes existence is a predicate Descartes = Existence enhances perfection of God Hume = Skeptical of knowledge about God</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>An elephant (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They assume that existence makes God greater or more perfect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Existence does not change a description. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>What the world contains.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>necessary</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It transforms the understanding of God to a self-sustaining being. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Analytic statements can't tell us about the world.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Kant = Existence does not add to a description Malcolm = Necessary existence is a predicate Anselm = Defines God in terms of perfection Descartes = Links existence to God's characteristics</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Statements only about ideas (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>You cannot get from ideas (analytic statements) to reality (synthetic statements).</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>ask experts</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Analytic statements = Statements only about ideas Synthetic statements = Statements that describe reality Unicorns = A conceptual idea that may or may not exist Descartes' argument = Thinking of oneself proves one's own existence</p> Signup and view all the answers

Arguments aiming to prove God's existence through the definition of God itself, relying only on logic and reasoning.

A type of argument that uses ideas and logic, without relying on experience.

The idea that God is the greatest being imaginable, meaning nothing can be conceived that is greater than God.

The claim that a being is more real and greater if it exists in reality than if it only exists in our minds.

Anselm's argument that God must exist in reality because if God didn't, he could be greater by existing (as reality is better than imagination).

A logical structure used to prove an argument: If A is true, and A implies B, then B is also true.

The fool who claims there is no God must have an understanding of what 'God' means, and that understanding implies God's existence.

Anselm's aim to strengthen faith through reason and understanding of God.

The idea that God cannot be conceived as anything greater than what he is.

Existence that is necessary and not dependent on anything else.

Existence that depends on something else for its being.

Anselm's argument, that if God is the greatest being, then God must have necessary existence, because otherwise he'd have the potential still to be greater.

An argument that attempts to reach an absurd consequence to demonstrate the falsehood of an idea.

Gaunilo's criticism of Anselm's ontological argument, which points out that if Anselm's reasoning is true, then any perfect object, like a perfect island, would also have to exist.

A statement made to emphasize the strength of an argument.

A person who does not believe in God.

The claim that we cannot fully comprehend God's nature due to his infinite and transcendent being.

The argument that we cannot use our limited understanding of God to prove his existence.

The idea that even a partial or incomplete understanding of God can be used to argue for his existence.

The question of whether we can truly know anything with certainty, especially about the external world.

The idea that there are things we know with absolute certainty, regardless of our senses or experiences.

A property that makes something more perfect or complete.

The argument that God's existence can be proven by his perfect nature, which includes the property of existence.

A comparison of God's existence to the existence of a geometric shape, arguing that just as we know the properties of a triangle, we can know God's existence through his definition.

Existence is not a property or characteristic of an object, rather it indicates the object's presence in the world.

Adding 'exists' to the concept of God doesn't change the image of God, thus challenging the argument that existence makes God greater.

Malcolm argues that necessary existence, unlike existence itself, is a predicate. It changes the description of an object by implying self-sufficiency and independence.

The idea that 'necessary existence' is a predicate supports Anselm's second form of the ontological argument, suggesting that God's necessary existence is a perfection.

Kant criticizes Anselm and Descartes' use of definitions to prove God's existence. He argues that definitions alone cannot tell us about reality, as they are based on ideas, not empirical observation.

Kant's second criticism attacks Anselm and Descartes' reliance on the concept of God to prove his existence.

Statements that only deal with ideas and concepts, not real-world things. For example, 'All bachelors are unmarried men' describes an idea.

A characteristic or property that describes a subject, like "a teacher" in "Dr Havranek is a teacher".

Statements that describe actual facts and experiences in the real world. For example, 'The sky is blue' is a statement about reality.

Kant's claim that we cannot prove God's existence through reason, but instead need to assume his existence for morality to function.

The idea that you cannot jump from ideas to the existence of things in the real world.

The argument that if you can think of something, it must exist. For example, 'I think, therefore I am' suggests that because I have the idea of myself, I must exist.

This argument challenges the ontological argument for God by claiming that you cannot prove God's existence simply by understanding the concept of a perfect being.

Kant's argument that ontological arguments assume existence is a predicate, overlooking the fact that existence simply confirms a thing's reality.

Kant's assertion that existence cannot be a predicate because it doesn't provide additional information about the nature of a subject.

A philosophical system that emphasizes reason and experience as sources of knowledge, seeking to understand the world through empirical observation and rational analysis.